Rail tie and fastening means



Feb. 25, 1947. J wE wo 2,416,555

BAIL TIE AND FASTENING MEANS Filed Oct. 26, 1945 Patented Feb. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL TIE AND FASTENING MEANS John K. Wedgworth, York, Ala. Application October 26, 1945, Serial No. 624,754 3 Claims. (01. 238275) The invention aims to improve upon the construction shown in my U. S. Patent No. 1,436,839 of November 28, 1922, primarily by providing a novel construction to readily permit the use of a prying tool for upwardly bending the detents of the tie from engagement with the tie-contained blocks when said detents are to be upwardly bent to released position.

A further object is to provide an improved construction which will not interfere with the neces- [4, toward the rail l2, be in the same vertical plane with the shoulders II, whereby portions of the end surfaces of the detents 13 will abut said the detents are bent downwardly as shown, this downward bending is not suflicient to prevent sary yielding of the rails during passage of a car or train along the same.

Figure l of the accompanying drawing is a sectional perspective view showing the improved construction and the manner of using the prying tool.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the prying tool in use.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the tiecontained blocks. 7

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 5 denotes a hollow metal tie having a longitudinal slot 6 in its top 1. Within the tie 5 are two metal blocks 8 each having a rail-engaging finger 9 extending through the slot 6. The upper side of each block 8 is formed with up wardly open recesses providing shoulders I l facing away from the rail l2, and the tie top 1 is provided with downwardly bent detents l3 received in said recesses ll], said detents having end surfaces facing toward the rail and abutting Each block 8 is provided with an upwardly open recess I4 which'is exposed at the slot 6 and extends under the detents l3, permitting the insertion of a T-head l under both detents 53 when they are to be upwardly bent to released position. I also provide each block with a fulcrum It for the shank I! of the prying tool, said fulcrum being disposed at the side of the, recess [4 remote from the rail l2 and being exposed at the slot 6.

The T-head l5 may readily be inserted (see dotted lines of Fig. 3) and positioned under both detents l3, and the shank l'l engaged with the fulcrum l6, whereupon the tool may be readily used to upwardly bend said detents simultaneously to released position, whenever the rail 12 is to be released for one reason or another.

It is preferred that the wall l8 of each recess them from abutting the shoulders u and wall 'l8,

said bending being only a trifle more than the thickness of the metal.

In the preferred construction of the improved tie and rail fastening means, the lower side iii of each finger 9 is rounded to give it a transversely convex form, preventing it from interfering with vertical yielding of the rail l2 during passage 7 of a car or train along the track.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for attaining the desired ends, and while preferences have been disclosed, minor variations may e made.

The prying tool is preferably so constructed that it may be used not only for upwardly prying the detents [3, but may be employed also as a a spike puller, a pinch-bar, and a crow bar.

I claim:

1. In a rail supporting and clamping means embodying a hollow metal tie having a longitudinal slot in its top, and a block within said tie having rail-engaging means extending through said slot, said tie top having a downwardly bent detent at one side of said slot and engaging said 101001: to secure it in place; said block being provided with an upwardly open recess exposed at said slot and extending under said downwardly bent detent to permit insertion of a prying tool under said detent when it is to be upwardly bent to released position, said block having a fulcrum for. said prying tool located at one side of said recess and exposed at said slot.

2. In a rail supporting and clamping means embodying a hollow metal tie having a longitudinal slot in its top, and a block within said tie said slot, said tie top having two downwardly bent detents at opposite sides of said slot and engaging said block to secure it in place; said block being provided with an upwardly open excess exposed at said slot and extending under both of said detents to permit'insertion of a T- headed' prying tool under said detents when they are to be bent upwardly to released position, said block having a fulcrum for said prying tool 10- cated at one side of said recess and exposed at 7 said slot. 7 7 REFERENCES CITED A structure as specified'm claim 2; Said d The following references are of record in the tents having end surfaces facingtoward the rail, file f a e said block having vertical shoulders facing away: 5 o t 15 p t from the rail and abutting portions of said end UNITED STATES PATENTS surfaces of said detents, one wall of said recess Number, Name Date being in the same vertical plane with said shoul- 1,436,339 wedgworth v Novas, 1922 ders and abutting other portionsof said end surl faces of said detents.

o v 10 JOHN K. WEDGWORTH. 

